Patience

As I was driving home from the gym this morning, I noticed a bumper sticker on the car in front of me. It said, "I'm sorry I'm driving so close...when I'm IN FRONT OF YOU"!

I chuckled at that and thought how impatient we are. Always needing to go faster and get there sooner. I'm not judging.  I, too, have the tendency to want things, and want them NOW.  However, instant gratification isn't always possible.  We may have the tendency to want the greatest reward in the fastest way possible with the least amount of work, but most things in life don't work that way.  Many authors of diet and exercise books would have you believe you can achieve your health and fitness goals in no time at all. They offer 10, 20, and 30 day solutions, claiming you can lose weight and get fit in that short amount of time. I'm here to tell you that it is not that simple. Your body and your health may have been neglected for years and that is not something you can fix in just a few days. Fitness, health, and wellness take time, so be patient. I hear women talking about getting their pre-pregnancy bodies back right after they've delivered. I'm embarrassed to say, but I was one of them. Jogging just 4 days after delivering one of my daughter's. I look back and think how ridiculous that was to push my body so hard physically when what it needed most was rest. We live and we learn and the next time around, I enjoyed my six weeks of walking and stretching and easing back into my workouts. I can't begin to explain how much better I felt overall. 

If you have recently started a nutrition or fitness program and are frustrated because "it's not working fast enough", I encourage you to be patient and realize that change will come, but it takes time. Don't let that discourage you. Continue to be diligent in your efforts and recognize the small changes that show your progress, not just your end goal. Maybe you haven't lost the 30 lbs you gained after your last pregnancy, but you are getting stronger and feel better. So, give yourself a high five and smack on the butt for putting forth the effort it takes to change. 

Be patient, and be well!

BHW